Blood and Water
by freedomfighter4
Summary: A woman appears in Knothole claiming to be Tails' mother. But things are not always what they seem.


Blood and Water  
A woman appears in Knothole claiming to be Tails' mother, but Sally has a bad feeling. What is she hiding and where has she been all this time? Some discription of drug use and suggestive comments, so it's getting a mature rating.   
I don't own these characters, they belong to Sega and Dic. Enjoy. 

Sally leaned heavily on the banister surrounding the lookout tower, her hand firmly tucked under her chin. Only a hour to go and Bunnie would be coming to relieve her and she could go home. Her stomach rumbled, complaining about missing dinner. She grumbled back, telling it to shut up already, that she was quite aware of it's empty status. Her thoughts wondered to Tails ans she sighed. It was he who was supposed to be in the tower that evening, but Tails was sick, more sick than Sally had seen him in a long time. Influenza. It made her shudder. Living where they were, as they were such a illness could easily kill. He seemed to be over the worst of it, he seemed to be getting better very slowly, but that didn't mean he couldn't get worse again. It didn't mean his fever wouldn't crawl back up to the dangerous heights it had been two nights ago. Sally shivered, remembering the frantic patter of her heart as she lifted the burning hot kit from his bed. For a moment panic had clouded her mind and she simply stood holding him to her, his sweat soaking into her fur. But Sonic had been there to guide her to the small metal tub that he had fetched and filled with cool water. She had climbed in with Tails, sitting it the dented tub with the boy while Sonic sponged the water onto the kit's body. Slowly his fever had dropped and Sally stood, letting a towel toting Sonic take Tails from her, watching as he dried him off carefully, talking softly to the little fox as he rubbed the wetness from his fur. Moments later he was once again in his bed and Sally settled beside him the only sound for a long time his hoarse coughs and the grinding chop of mortar and pestal as Sally ground up herbs she had collected that would hopefully ease his fever. Sonic sat in a chair beside the bed, his hand reaching out to touch Tails' forehead occasionally.  
"Is he gonna be okay Sal?" He asked gruffly, his voice hoarse from lack of sleep. It was very late or actually quite early in the morning and neither had gotten any sleep.  
"I . . . of course, of course he will." She replied though she didn't know any more than Sonic did. He sighed and nodded, leaning forward a little, sitting his hand on her knee to comfort her, seeing in her eyes the doubt that plagued his own heart. She looked up, pausing in her work, sitting her hand on his. Their eyes met and he offered her a small smile. Her hand tightened around his, gleaning strength from him. Her relief at having him at her side was immense, but also expected. They were a united front after all. Co-leaders, co-conspirators, and co-caretakers of the little kit. The male and female figures in his life. 

Sally shifted, leaning forward slightly, thinking for just a moment she saw movement off to her right. She held her breath as the bushes shook. There was something there and Sally grabbed for her binoculars, hoping it was nothing more than a foraging Simple Deer or perhaps a large bird. The bushes parted and out stumbled a Mobian, a cream colored fox. She fell to all fours, the struggled to her feet before falling a few paces later. Sally climbed down from her post quickly, rushing to were the female fox lay. There were light tan markings on her nose and her half opened eyes were a bright blue. Sally knelt beside the older fox, her eyes scanning her body for injury. The fox was dirty and her fur matted in places, but she seemed to have no visible wounds.  
"Help . . . help." She muttered, her eyes focusing on Sally. "Please help."  
"It's alright, you're safe now . . . you're going to be fine."

Sally stood by silently as the fox shifted in the bed, her eye lids fluttering as she awoke. She yawned and stretched, then sat up suddenly, quickly looking around the small room with panic. Sally stepped forward and the Mobian stared at her as if she expected Sally to harm her.  
"It's okay, you're safe." Sally told her gently, holding a hand up. "I found you in the woods."  
"I . . . yes . . . I was lookin' . . . I lost my son."  
"Your son is still out there?" Sally questioned sharply. "I'll send a party out to look . ."  
"No . . . I lost . . . no left him . . . a long time ago."  
"What do you mean you left him?"   
"Well . . . I . . . I was traveling with . . . with a party of refugees . . . they were not . . . they weren't real patient ya know? I had the baby . . . a boy and they . . . they . . . see they thought his cryin' might attract . . . you know those . . . robot things. They wanted me to leave him. They said . . . he was gonna die anyway and . . . and he was deformed and I didn't want to be alone so I . . . I left him."  
"What do you mean when you say 'deformed'?"  
"He . . . he had two tails."  
"Tails." Sally whispered under her breath and the woman nodded, apparently thinking the word a question.  
"I heard . . . through connections . . . that you guys were out here and I started to wonder . . . if he was maybe . . . if someone had found him and . . . and taken care of him."  
"Did you name this baby?"  
"No . . . I left him wrapped in a flannel shirt. My father's shirt . . . I'd been wearin' it to keep warm and it . . . to have a part of him . . . I suppose."  
"What . . . what was your father's name?"  
"Miles Prower. Hell . . . it was probably written on the tag or somethin' . . . he was always scared of people walkin' off with his crap." The fox sighed, shaking her head.  
"On the lining." Sally sighed, a hand coming up to swipe at her forehead. "What's your name?" Sally managed after a minute.  
"I'm Desiree. Desiree Prower."  
"I . . . I'm Sally."   
"It's nice to . . . to meet you Sally." Desiree smiled and offered her hand, Sally nodded, unable to return the sentiment. It was not all the nice meeting this woman. Apprehension crackled in her mind, in her soul. Something wasn't right about the story Desiree told.  
"Ummm, you . . . you're a little dehydrated and a . . . a bit emaciated."  
"Yeah . . . I've never been good about remembering to eat."  
"Well . . . would you like something to eat?" Sally asked softly, thoughtfully.  
"Really I'm just here to find out about my son . . . was he found? Is he alive?"  
"He . . . yes, he was found and he . . . is alive." Sally replied after a long, long silence, something in her screaming to lie, to tell this woman that no crying, hungry, cold little two tailed fox had been found just beyond the borders of Knothole. That it had not been assumed that the name written in the lining of the heavy flannel shirt was his name. That he had not been dubbed Tails. That Sally had not invested a vast amount of energy, both emotionally and physically to care for him.  
"He . . . he's alive? Really?"  
"Yes." Sally pressed her lips firmly together to suppress the 'no thanks to you' that attempted to follow her one syllable response.  
"Where is he? Can I see him?"  
"He is . . . very sick right now. The flu."  
"Oh. I suppose we'll have to put off leaving till he's better."  
"L-l-leaving?"  
"Sure . . . I've got a place south of here. I'll be taking me home with me of course."  
"Desiree . . . you can't just uproot him . . . this is . . . the only home he's ever known."  
"He'll get to know his new home."  
"I don't think you understand . . ." Sally began, feeling heat rise to her face.   
"I understand. He's my son . . . I love him an' I'm gonna take care of him . . . at our home."  
"Love him? You don't even know him."  
"You don't have to know your kids to love them. It's a mother thing." Desiree looked Sally over and smiled. "You got kids?"  
"I . . . not . . . not of my own, no."  
"Oh, then you don't understand."  
"I understand that Tails doesn't need the trauma of being . . ." Sally's fist clinched when Desiree made a disgusted sound.  
"You named him Tails?"  
"We assumed his name was Miles. Tails is a nickname." Sally replied, fighting to regain her composer.  
"But you didn't fix his deformity?" She asked, her lip seeming to curl.  
"He doesn't have a deformity . . . he as a unique gift that he uses to his advantage." Sally growled, all hope of remaining calm gone. "If you knew him you might understand."  
"Foxes aren't suppose to have two tails." She replied as if Sally was unaware.  
"I am aware of that." Sally nearly spat.  
"Look . . . I don't wanna make trouble. We'll hang around a while okay? Let him get used to me first before we take off. Is that better?"  
"No." Sally replied honestly, then shook her head. "We can talk about this later. When we've both had time to adjust to . . . this. Wouldn't . . . you care for something to eat? You're dangerously underweight."  
"Yeah, I guess."

"Who the hell does she think she is?" Sally ranted to Sonic, pacing back and forth across the floor of his hut.  
"Sal . . . sit down, you're makin' me dizzy."  
"I mean . . . just who does she think she is!"  
"His mom."  
"His mom? She's not his mom!"  
"I thought Nicole's DNA typin' . . . ."  
"She gave birth to him . . . but she's not his mom." Sally clarified, glaring at Sonic more harshly than she meant to. "Mom's do not leave their new born babies in the woods! Mom's don't just up and walk away!"  
"I know it's a mondo nasty thing to do." He sighed. "But she's told ya she was real young an' scared an' maybe . . ."  
"Young and scared? Young and scared! Well, poor, pitiful Desiree! She's the only one on Mobuis who was young and scared. That's a cop out and you know it!"  
"Sal I'm not any happier about this than you are. But . . . she's his mom."  
"So? If you found out that Robotnik was your father would you go rushing off to live with him?"  
"That's . . . a really weird example. Are we comparin' Desiree to 'Buttnik?"   
"We don't know anything about her Sonic. How do we know she's not as bad."  
"She can't be that bad Sal. She seems . . . okay. Nice."  
"Nice? She left Tails to die! She put him on the ground and walked away." Sally made an exasperated sound. "And now she shows up and wants to take him away? Want to drag him off to gods know where to live with her? We don't know if it's safe. We don't know if they have the resources they'll need to survive. Desiree's skin and bone. She can't even feed herself! How is she suppose to feed him too?"  
"Maybe we could talk her into stayin' here, in Knothole."  
"I tried. She wants to go 'home'."  
"She'll be here a while . . . we'll keep trying to convince her, okay?"  
"She won't stay."  
"Then we'll go an' check her place out and see . . ."  
"No! This is ridicules! She can't just show up and take our son to some shack in the middle . . ."  
"Whoa. Sal . . . whatcha just say?"  
"I said . . .I said she couldn't just show up and take Tails to . . ."  
"No you didn't. You said 'our son'." Sonic rubbed at the side of his face with his palm for a moment, sighing loudly. "He . . . he ain't ours to keep Sal. We knew that. We knew he'd have someone come for him sooner or later."  
"I thought . . . after the war maybe . . . maybe his parents . . . would come. After the city was ours again and the world was safe. I . . . I didn't think it'd be this way . . . this soon."  
"I know. Me either. An' I know you . . . that we both have put a lot inta carin' for him. But Sal, even doin' our best . . . we ain't his parents. You're Aunt Sally and I'm the big bro and maybe that ain't enough for a kid."  
"It doesn't matter what he calls us Sonic or what we call ourselves. We are his mom and dad, the closest he's ever had. I know you know that."  
"Yeah." He whispered, nodding slightly. "I know."  
"So, shouldn't we have some say in this? Shouldn't we . . . have some rights in all of this?"  
"Sal . . . unless there is something majorly wrong with her . . . I don't think we got any rights."  
"No, that's bull! That's . . . that's just . . ." Sally lifted a hand to her mouth to stifle a sob that ripped from her lips. Tears stung her eyes and she closed them tight, trying to trap the warm sorrow within her lids. She heard Sonic get up from his chair, it's wooden legs scuffing lightly over the floor. A moment later his arms wrapped around her and he pulled her close, soothing his fingers over her back.  
"It's alright Sal . . . it's gonna be okay."  
"She left him. She gave him away." Sally cried, allowing the tears to flow from her eyes now that the blue hedgehog's warmth had enfolded her, making the show of emotion safe. "She gave him away and we found him. She didn't want him! He's our's now. She didn't want him and he's ours, that's fair! That's what's right."  
"Nothin' s right sometimes Sal. No answer's good."  
"The right answer is she goes back were she came from and leaves us alone. She doesn't know him, she doesn't really love him. She can't. We know him, we love him."  
"I know, I know. But . . . I think she wants to know him. She wants to love him."  
"There's something wrong with this Sonic. Don't you feel it? Somethings wrong with that woman, I can almost smell it on her, a sick, sour scent."   
"I think maybe we just . . . kinda want somethin' to be wrong with her . . . ya know? That we might be lookin' for stuff that isn't there."  
"No . . . I feel it. Something is not right."

Sally eyed Desiree with tired, suspicious eyes, her arms folded over her chest as she leaned against the wall beside Tails' bed. The little kit's breathing was raspy, congested and his cheeks once again burned with fever, though it was not so high as to be life threatening. Desiree dipped a cloth into a bowl of cold water that sat on her lap. She sat the sopping cloth on the kit's head, the water running down his face and over his eyes, Tails huffing in his sleep, uncomfortable. Sally rolled her eyes and hurried to the bed, taking the soaking wet cloth off of his head, wiping at his eyes with her fingers.  
"You have to ring it out." Sally told the elder fox, squeezing the excess water out, uncaring that some of the water rained down onto her lap instead of into the bowl. Sally placed the cloth again on the hot little forehead.  
"Oh." Desiree breathed, looking down at her wet legs. She looked back up at Tails, touching his arm lightly. "Miles . . . come on Miles, wake up."  
"He's not going to answer to that name." Sally told Desiree with irritation. It was not the first time they had talked about it. "Not when he's sick like this. We always call him Tails."  
"It's demeaning. I won't call him that."  
"It is not meant to be demeaning."  
"Well, it is."  
"Desiree . . ." Sally sighed, watching her pick up a bottle of spearmint oil that sat on the bed side table, pouring to much on a second cloth. She shifted and leaned forward, placing the cloth on the kit's face. Sally moved with a speed with could have rivaled Sonic's, her adrenalin pumping. She jerked the cloth away from Tails' face.   
"What?" Desiree questioned, looking up at Sally.  
"Don't you listen? I told you that if he's breathing sounded rough . . ."  
"To use the spearmint oil." She interrupted, glaring at Sally.  
"And? What did I say after that?"  
"I . . . that was all."  
"Firstly, I said a couple drops. This oil is very strong. And secondly I told you to flutter the cloth above him, not lay it on his face! You'd suffocate him!"  
"I'm sorry. I guess I . . . my mind wonders sometimes." Desiree chuckled and Sally scowled at her.  
"Your mind can not 'wonder' when you're taking care of someone who's helpless. His very life depends on you."  
"I said I'm sorry."  
"Stop being sorry and start listening." Sally retorted, pushing her fingers through her hair, a nervous habit.  
"Okay . . . okay, I'll listen. I'll do better." Desiree stood and began to wave the cloth above Tails' head, the room filling with the strong scent of spearmint. After a minute she sat down again, tossing the cloth on the table. She sighed and glanced at Sally. "Does he call you Mom?" She asked softly, leaning forward as if she were engrossed in conversation.  
"No."  
"Is there someone else he calls . . ."  
"No."  
"Oh. So he knows the truth."  
"Yes, as much as we knew to tell him. He thinks you were most likely captured and robotosized."  
"Turned into a robot?"  
"Yeah."  
"What does he call you? Just Sally?"  
"Aunt Sally."  
"That's cute." Desiree told her, smiling. "Is there an Uncle somebody-or-other?"  
"Are you asking is I'm involved or if Tails calls his male role model uncle?"  
"I don't know . . . both?" The fox shrugged, then smiled brightly. "My dad always told me I was born a snoop."  
"Yes. No." Sally answered, not expanding.  
"You aren't very talkative." Desiree told Sally with a smirk.  
"Depends on who I'm talking too." Sally replied.  
"How old are you?" The fox asked, leaning back in her chair.  
"Why?"  
"I get the feeling you're younger than you seem, than you act."  
"War makes most people mature past their years." Sally's eyes narrowed slightly, suspiciously.  
"I'm sorry. I was just thinkin' . . . you sort of look like the King's daughter, but you're to old to be right? I mean she was what, three or four when the war started?"  
"Five."  
"Five? Are you sure it wasn't four?"  
"Quite."  
"Anyway . . . she'd be what fourteen?"  
"Your math skills are a little lacking Desiree."  
"No, the war's been goin' on for what nine years?"  
"Nine years? No, it's been almost twelve."  
"Oh, well . . . . guess I've lost track. So she . . ."  
"Just turned seventeen."  
"Wait . . . her name was Sally too, wasn't it." Desiree seemed to be thinking, her eyes slipping shut. A moment later her eyes opened wide and she snapped her fingers. "You are her aren't you? Are you?"  
"Yes." Sally answered softly with a slight nod.  
"You're Princess Sally?"  
"That's right."  
"I'm sorry." Desiree got to her feet and curtsied clumsily. Sally chuckled despite herself and shook her head.  
"Please . . . I'm just plain Sally here. There isn't any need for that."   
"I didn't realize, honest."  
"I know, I don't make it a habit of pointing it out to people. It doesn't matter."  
"So, I guess you're in charge here?"  
"Yes, partly."  
"Partly? How's that?"  
"Well, everyone has a say about what goes on. Everyone's opinion matters."  
"Sure, but you're the leader right? You tell 'um what to do. Make the rules and all."  
"Well . . . in a way. There's a sort of hierarchy. There's non-combatant villagers, then the combatant villagers, then Sonic and myself."  
"That blue hedgehog I met?"  
"Yes."  
"Is he royalty too?"  
"No."  
"Son of a duke or baron or . . ."  
"No, he isn't from a politically important family. He's . . ."  
"He's your guy isn't he? You're fella?"  
"He's our hero, our strongest member."  
"But he's your guy too, yeah?"  
"Yes."   
"Lucky. He's a looker." Desiree smiled knowingly at Sally, glancing back at the bed when Tails shifted. "Why don't you two have any babies?"  
"Well, because we're in the middle of a war and I suppose mostly because . . . we're seventeen."  
"I was barely sixteen when I had Miles." Desiree replied softly. "He was born fourteen days after my sixteenth birthday actually."  
"Oh. And what about his father?"  
"His father? He was . . . a little older."  
"How much?"  
"I don't know . . . he was in his twenties."  
"I see. What was his name?"  
"His name? Umm, Bill, his name was Bill."   
"Did you know him very well?" Sally could see that Desiree was squirming and she was applying the oldest stalling tactic in the book, the repeating of questions. Sally suspected it was to give her time to think up an answer.  
"We dated a little. He said he was gonna marry me after . . . after I got pregnant. Then the war and all . . . so I don't know."  
"What did he do for a living?" Sally asked immediately after Desiree answered the previous question.  
"He . . . I think . . . he . . . he fixed stuff . . . . pipes you know. A plumber."  
"Oh, a plumber." Sally nodded. "Tails likes to fix things."  
"Does he? He's a smart boy, isn't he?"  
"Very. He has a big heart too and a knack for seeing through facades."  
"That's good. I'm glad he's smart." Desiree nodded, reaching out to touch the kit's forehead. She sighed, a frown forming on her face. "Gods know I'm not. I've never been . . . smart."  
"You have the ability to learn." Sally replied after a long moment. It sounded a little harsh and almost doubtful, but it was the best she could muster for the woman.  
"You don't like me . . . do you?" Desiree asked, not meeting Sally's eyes.  
"I . . . I don't know you Desiree. So I suppose it isn't fair for me to say one way or the other."  
"Yeah, but you're pretty sure you aren't gonna like me, aren't you?"  
"It upsets me to know that it wasn't a horrible accident that Tails ended up in that flannel shirt, half frozen, half starved. Yes. I could almost hate you for that."  
"I was young and very stupid and scared."  
"I was younger and very scared too. We all were and yet there he lays." Sally lifted a hand, motioning to the bed. "He's thrived with us, he's safe with us, he's loved here . . . with us."  
"It really does mean so much that you looked out for him . . . I can't tell you how happy I was to hear there was a chance he was still alive. I don't blame you for hating me for what I did Princess, I hate me for it too. But, I need a chance with him. I'm asking . . . begging for a chance to be his mother now. Please, please don't deny me."  
"It's not in my power to deny you Desiree, not without cause."  
"No?"  
"Not without cause."  
"I won't give you a cause, I promise." Desiree smiled imploringly up at Sally, who simply turned her head, looking out the window. Time would tell.

The next day Tails' fever broke and he was for the first time in nearly a week completely lucid. Sally was indescribably grateful that Desiree had not been there when he first woke up. The last thing the recovering kit needed was a sudden shock. Sally held him in the crook of her arm, helping him drink from a clay cup, his body still to weak to hold it on his own without sloshing. He looked up at her, his blue eyes full of love. She sat the cup aside and Tails nuzzled closer to her chest, his forehead pressed against her. Sally stroked his head and hummed to him, thinking about the best way to brake the news to Tails. She couldn't wait to long, for Desiree would be back and she knew nothing about tact.  
"Aunt Sally . . . I'm hungry." His soft voice interrupted her thoughts and she looked down on him, smiling widely.  
"Good . . . I'm going to make you some soup okay?"  
"Yeah."  
"Tails, while you were sick . . ." Sally winced hearing the door to the little hut opened, then sighed in relief when Sonic walked in. Sonic stopped short and smiled.  
"You awake Lil' Guy?" He asked and Tails turned his head slightly.  
"Sonic!" The kit called hoarsely, his face lighting up in joy. The hedgehog hurried over to the bed, sitting down beside Sally, pulling the weak child into a warm hug.  
"I'm going to go get him some soup." Sally said softly, standing up. She stretched, then leaned over whispering into the blue ear below. "You tell him about Desiree, I'm afraid I'll make it sound negative." Sonic nodded his understanding and Sally left the hut, heading for the mess hall.  
"You'll never guess what happened while you were snoozin' Lil' Bro." Sonic began, laying Tails back on his pillow.  
"What?"  
"Your Mom came lookin' for you."  
"My . . . my Mom? My real Mom?"  
"Sure enough. She's here, she's awful excited to talk to ya."  
"Where . . . where'd she come from?"  
"Oh, she was livin' to the south of us somewhere. She's been helpin' Sal take care of ya while you've been sick. She was real worried."  
"She wasn't captured by 'Buttnik?"  
"Nope."  
"Then why didn't she come for me before?"  
"Uhhh . . . I . . . well . . ." Suddenly the door opened and Desiree rushed in, her eyes wide.  
"He's awake? He's awake!" She ran to the bed, practically shoving Sonic out of the way to scoop the boy into her arms. "Oh Miles! My poor, poor baby. I'm your Mommy. I'm your Mommy, it's okay now." Tails looked to where Sonic stood with confused, frightened eyes. Sonic forced a smile to his face and nodded.  
"Mom?" Tails questioned and Desiree squealed.  
"Yes! Yes, I'm your Momma. Oh baby I missed you so much. I thought about you every day, I really did. Look what a big boy you are, goodness." She clutched him to her chest roughly.  
"Desiree . . . maybe ya shouldn't . . . he's still weak an' . . . this is new . . ." Sonic began, but Desiree made a gruff, dismissing sound, holding him tighter still.  
"Oh, it's alright, isn't it Sweetheart? Yes, my sweet Miles, it's alright. I'm so happy baby! I can't wait for you to see our home, I've worked real hard on it. Made sure it was nice. There's a big tree to climb, we could hang a swing . . . there's a little stream not to far and . . . do you fish? We can fish there, it'll be perfect . . . so perfect."  
"What are ya talking about?" Tails whined, his eyes opening a little wider.  
"Our home baby . . . we can go just as soon as you're feeling better. Well enough."  
"No . . . no, no I don't want to go anywhere. I don't want to leave Knothole! I don't want to go away! I don't . . ." Tails started to cough violently, wheezing as if he couldn't catch his breath. Desiree pulled him tighter to her body and Sonic strode over, bending down.  
"Let me have 'im"  
"I can handle . . ."  
"Let me have him!"  
"He's my son!"  
"He's panicin' and he can't breathe! Let me have him, now!" Desiree frowned sharply but loosened her grip on Tails, Sonic quickly scooping him into his arms. He gently rubbed his back with his large hand, the boy's head resting on his shoulder. He paced the floor, whispering soothing words to the kit until his breathing eased.  
"Sonic . . . I don't wanna go . . . I don't wanna go no where." He whimpered and Sonic soothed a hand over his head, making a soft hushing sound.  
"Don't worry about it Tails. Nothin's for sure. Don't even worry about it right now, 'kay?"  
"It is for sure." Desiree snapped and Sonic glared at her.  
"This ain't the time."  
"It is for sure!" She yelled, Tails beginning to tremble in Sonic's arms.  
"Can't ya see you're scarin' him?"  
"Let me have him." She demanded, holding out her arms.  
"No, not right now."  
"Let me have my son, he needs me." Tails' arms tightened around Sonic's neck.  
"You are scarin' him. I think it'd be best if you just walked away for a minute an' let everyone calm down."  
"I am calm!" She thundered, stomping her foot like a child having a tantrum.  
"Well he's not! An' ta be honest lady, neither am I . . . now leave!"  
"He's my son! My son! If you want one so damn bad go stick it to that frump of a girlfriend you got!" Desiree whirled on her heels and stomped away, jerking the door open and slamming it loudly behind her.  
"She's not nice." Tails cried, his tears wetting the blue fur under his cheek. "She's not nice Sonic. She can't be my Mom . . . she's mean."  
"It's alright. It's gonna be okay. She's . . . she's just . . . this is hard for everyone an' . . . I think maybe she's just unsure . . . just like you are. Maybe she just ain't . . . so good at . . . dealin' with this sorta thing."  
"Do I hafta go away with her?"  
"I'm sure we can figure somethin' out. Maybe build her a hut here? That'd be nice huh?"  
"Yeah . . . I guess." Tails sighed, letting the hedgehog lay him back in his bed. "She called Aunt Sally a bad name too, didn't she."  
"What she said . . . wasn't nice." Sonic nodded, sighing loudly. It went against everything inside him but he forced the next words out, hoping Tails could not see the hurt in his eyes. "I think that Sal, that she came on a little strong to your Mom. She's real protective of ya, you know. I think maybe your Mom's feeling a little . . . vulnerable . . . and threatened by . . . by Sally's relationship with you."  
"Are you sayin' Aunt Sally deserved to . . ."  
"No. I'm not sayin' that. I'm trying ta explain to ya Tails that . . . your Mom . . . that she ain't a bad person. She's just . . . stressed."  
"Are ya sure Sonic?"  
"Yeah, 'course." He hoped his words were true, but something now gnawed at the pit of his stomach, a foreboding. Sally was right, something wasn't quite right with Desiree Prower.

Desiree tossed restlessly in her sleep, curling into a ball, her knees pulled up to her chest. She was dreaming. She dreamed of sitting in the cold, dew coated grass, crying out in pain as another contraction hit her hard. There was blood on her thighs and the wet fluid that had surrounded the baby within her just hours before. Her hands strayed over her swollen middle, rubbing, trying to sooth the pain. She looked up as she heard footsteps approach quickly.  
"Get up!" Her male companion hissed, pulling at her arm.  
"I can't!" She cried and he kicked at her hip, his hiking boot roughly coming into contact with her flesh. "I can't Dom . . . the baby's comin'."  
"Get your ass up!" He pulled harder, forcing her to her feet. He began to drag her, the let go, kicking at her again. "We got two hours to get to the swamp marshes!" He growled, ignoring her cries of pain.  
"Gotta push! It's coming now Dom . . . I'm sorry . . . I gotta push!"  
"Then push you stupid slut! Hurry up and get it over with!" Dom rubbed at the dark gray fur on his arm, the possum, looking away in disgust. Ten minutes crept by and Dom turned to tell her she'd just have to walk again when the high, distressed cry of a baby filled the night air. Desiree pulled the baby up from between her thighs, laying him on her chest.  
"It's a boy." She said softly, holding the mulling kit close to her.  
"So?" Dom looked over his shoulder, then looked back. "Let's go." Desiree nodded and struggled to her feet, clutching the child to her. "Just leave it."  
"Leave him?"  
"You heard me. Look at him . . . he's got two tails, gods know what else is wrong with him. You stayed messed up the whole time you were pregnant. He'll probably die anyway. Just leave him, he'll slow us down."  
"Dom . . . I can't . . . I can't just leave him."  
"Fine . . . bye Babe, it's been fun." Dom turned and began to run away.  
"Wait! I . . . you promised you'd take me with you!"  
"I'm your dealer . . . not your Daddy. You were puttin' out that's the only reason I've kept you around." He began to walk away again.  
"No Dom, wait. I'll still put out . . . I will, don't leave me alone."  
"Alright. Lay the kid down and lets go."  
"Please Dom . . ."  
"Look," he reach into his pocket and felt around for a moment, pulling out a syringe. The liquid within seemed to shimmer in the moonlight. "It's the last of it till we re-up at the swamp marsh. I was savin' it for myself . . . but if ya put the brat down you can have it. Every last drop." Desiree stared at the syringe, her entire body seeming to pulse with the need for the fluid inside.  
"He . . . he'd probably die anyway, right?"  
"That's right. Come on Baby . . . I know you want it." Desiree nodded and wiggled out of the heavy flannel shirt she wore, wrapping it around the tiny kit. She lay him in a soft indention that was layered with fallen leaves, under a large tree. She pulled the shirt tight around his little body and stood, walking away. He started to cry, but after the sting of the needle, Desiree barely heard it.

Desiree awoke with a start, sitting up in the small bed that had been made up for her. She was sweating, her heart pounding in her chest. She rubbed absently at her arm, at the bend in her elbow. She climbed out of bed slowly and moved the window to her right, looking out on the night sky. The huts around her were dark, the inhabitants fast asleep. It was a good sized village and seemed stable, well established. They even had an infirmary. She licked her lips, wondering if they even bothered to lock up the stronger medications. A small smile twisted her lips upward. She would have to check it out. 

Sally walked slowly, almost casually through the village for the third time that day. The sun was beginning to dip low in the sky and the pleasant aroma of cooking food hung in the warm evening air. She paused to speak to an elder groundhog that was pulling weeds from her garden, asking if she had seen Desiree. No, the old woman had answered with a shrug. It was the same answer Sally had gotten from everyone she had asked that day. No one had seen her, not since last night. Sally sighed, heading back toward Tails' hut. It seemed that Desiree was gone. Sally bit lightly at her lower lip, she wouldn't smile at the thought. She wouldn't. She shouldn't be glad she had run off, she knew she shouldn't be, but she was. There was no guarantee she wouldn't come back, but Sally felt emence relief, it seemed that for now she was out of the picture. Sally stopped by the mess hall, filling a bowl with broth for Tails, grabbing a couple pieces of bread to go with it. She was humming happily to herself as she nudged open the door to the kit's hut, balancing the bowl in her hand. Sonic looked up from where he sat beside the boy's bed, his eyes displeased, a little angry perhaps. Sally's shoulders sagged some and the happy tune evaporated from her lips. There sitting in the corner of the hut was Desiree.  
"Desiree . . . I've been looking for you." Sally began, clearing her throat loudly, trying to dispel the lump that had formed there.  
"Yeah?" Desiree mumbled, glancing up at Sally, her eyes sleepy and a little glassy.  
"Where have you been?"  
"Around. Doin' a little . . . exploring."  
"It isn't safe to wonder around in the woods." Sally replied, handing the bowl she held to Sonic.  
"I didn't go far . . . .just sat by the river for a while."  
"All day?"  
"It's pretty." She sighed, looking toward Sonic, who was stirring the broth quickly to cool it, blowing lightly. "I'll feed him." Desiree grumbled, not moving from her seat. Sonic gave her a sideways glance but said nothing. "Yah hear me?" She asked after a moment.  
"He can feed himself." Sonic told Desiree, his voice a little gruff. Sally could hear the extreme aggravation in his tone. Desiree didn't seem to notice. She smiled at Tails who seemed to be doing his best to pretend she wasn't there at all.  
"My boy's gettin' stronger . . . he's a big, strong boy. Yeah. You'll be better in no time Miles and then we're gonna have so much fun together, me and you."  
"I like ta be called Tails, please." Tails said softly, not looking at her, but focusing on the bowl Sonic had just placed on his lap.  
"Oh Baby, don't be silly." She laughed a little, scratching at her arm. "Don't you know everyone's making fun of you when they call you that." Desiree chuckled again and Sonic turned in his seat to glare at her, his eyes aflame with anger. He seemed at a loss for words, his lips curling into a sneer, his teeth shinning dulling in the fading sunlight.   
"That isn't true Desiree." Sally growled, taking a step forward. Desiree laughed, as if it were extremely humorous, waving a hand in the air.  
"It's demeaning, it's teasing." She sang, giggling. Sally was about to say something else when she heard the chair Sonic had been sitting in clatter to the ground, the hedgehog launching himself forward, his ears flattened against his head, a loud snarl emanating from his throat.  
"Get out!" He ordered, his chest heaving, his body trembling in barely controlled rage.  
"Hey . . . hey now . . . calm down now . . ." Desiree began, her smile fading.  
"Out! Now!" He thundered, pointing to the door.  
"Alright, alright . . . I'm goin'." She smirked and got to her feet, wobbling a little. "High stress aren'tcha? Need a little stress relief, humm?" She winked at him, her hands coming to rest on her hips.  
"You need to go Desiree." Sally told her and the fox's blue eyes settled on Sally , her smile growing. She nodded and walked by Sonic, a hand coming out to brush over the fur on his back, tentatively touching one of his stiff quills. Sonic jerked away, glaring at her.  
"They're sharp." She commented, studying her fingers intently. "You are tense."  
"Go." Sonic muttered, the word little more than a gruff whisper. Desiree mistakenly took his change in tone to mean he was no longer angry, when in fact the hedgehog's control over himself was extremely precarious.  
"I'll go, I'll go." She told them in that sing-songy voice. She smiled at Sally rather sweetly as she passed. "You know Princess, it's to bad you're such a prim and proper lady, 'cause I think what that big blue boy needs is for you to get down on those royal knees and suck his . . ." A large gloved hand shot out at that moment, smacking Desiree square in the mouth. It was actually a rather light slap, which was a miracle considering Sonic's state of mind. Desiree stared up at him, shocked. She backed away, holding her hand to her mouth, cradling it as if she had suffered a serous injury that was impossible from the relatively gently reprimand. She fumbled with the knob, never taking her eyes off of the blue hedgehog, nearly falling through the door when she got it open. She glared at them for a moment more then turned, slamming the door shut behind her. Sally turned to Tails, who was staring at them with large, frightened eyes, tears on his cheeks. She sighed and hurried to the bed, gathering the scared kit into her arms. Sonic stood silently, his head low, his eyes on the floor. After a long time Sonic looked up and turned to face the bed, his eyes glistening with tears. He could hear his uncle's voice echoing in his mind, telling him he should never hit a woman. He could recall saying the same thing to Tails once. Don't ever hit a woman. You shouldn't ever hit a woman.   
"I . . . I'm sorry." He said softly, unsure if he was apologizing to Tails, Sally, or the long since gone Desiree. "I'm sorry."  
"Sonic . . ." Sally began, but didn't seem to know what to say.  
"That . . . that was real wrong." Sonic said, focusing on Tails. "I shouldn't have done that and that was just . . . really wrong of me." Tails nodded rather dully. "I shouldn't have smacked her, no matter what she was sayin' or how she was actin' . . . . ya shouldn't ever . . .I shouldn't 'a ever . . ." He trailed off, lifting his hands in a exasperated gesture. "I . . . I'm gonna . . . I'm gonna go tell her that I'm sorry." He nodded with convection and hurried after her. 

Sonic came to the closed door of the hut that was used for guests and knocked lightly, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He could see the soft glow of a oil lamp from behind the shaded window. He sighed and knocked again, a little louder. He waited, tapping his foot. Still no answer came and he tried the knob, it was unlocked and he pushed the door open.  
"Look, you were outta line . . . but I shouldn't 'a smacked you and I'm real so . ." Sonic trailed off his eyes landing on the fox sitting on the floor, her back pressed against the wall, her head tilted back and her mouth agape. He saw the empty syringe resting in her limp hand, a small bottle beside her. The half finished apology vanished from Sonic's mind and he strode in, picking up the little vile beside her. "Morphine." He growled down at her. "You stole morphine from the infirmary? Do ya know how little of this we have? Or how hard it is to find more?" He spat the question at her, searching her room, finding little viles hidden here and there. He gathered up ten full viles in all, laying them on the bed, pulling the pillow from it's cover and gently setting the glass viles inside. "I can't believe you."  
"Oh . . . hiya Sonic." Desiree slurred, her eyes focusing on him, noticing him for the first time.  
"Get up . . . you're goin' to the infirmary with me."  
"Why?"  
"You're sick, that's why. Now get up."  
"I ain't sick." She chuckled a little, her eyes slipping shut.  
"Yes you are. This is sick." Sonic shook the pillow case slightly the bottle clinking together. Desiree opened her eyes and struggled to her feet.  
"Tha's mine."  
"No. These belong to Knothole."  
"Come on Blue Boy . . . we could . . . make a deal . . . yeah?"  
"Let's go."  
"Ahh, maybe I could do somethin' . . . . nice for you . . . ya know what I mean?"  
"You're goin' to the infirmary, now."  
"I bet she don't do nothin' with you . . . does she? Kissing and hand holding, that's it, humm? I 'd be willing to do . . . anything for you cutie . . . anything you could think of. What do ya say?" Sonic stared at her in disbelief, but Desiree took his silence to mean he was thinking about her proposal. She moved closer, trying to slink up to him, but in her current state couldn't do much better than a shuffling limp. She smiled and reach out her hand intent on touching him intimately. Sonic grabbed her wrist and jerked her hand upward before she could touch him, looking at her with disgust.  
"I'd rather get it on with 'Buttnik." He told her, picking up the pillowcase and pulling her with him out the door and to the infirmary.

Sally sat silently on the cot in the infirmary that Desiree had slept in the two nights she had been there, being treated for her addiction. Sometime during the third night she had climbed out the window. She was gone. Sally had sent a search party out to look for her and they followed her footprints to a tree just outside Knothole, the very tree Sonic had found Tails under all those years ago. There was a small hole in the soft dirt and a small amount of broken glass from a morphine vile. It was clear she had hidden some and had collected them before she fled. The footprints had become harder to find deeper in the woods until they could find no trace of her at all and Sally called the search off. There was no relief for Sally in the knowledge she was gone, only a hollow ache for the woman trapped by her illness and for the son she had left behind, no longer blissfully unaware of his mother's state. He had believed her the strong heroine that had saved him, losing her own freedom in the process. The truth was ugly and painful. The truth that his mother had abandoned him, that she chose to leave him under that oak tree. The hurt from that knowledge could very well haunt him the rest of his life. Sally wiped at the tears that had formed in her eyes, drying them quickly when she heard the door open. Sonic stepped inside, Tails at his side, his small gloved hand tucked into the larger one. Sally smiled sadly, opening her arms to the approaching kit, enfolding him in a warm embrace. Sonic sat down beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. Tails smiled and snuggled into the place where their sides touched, content to sit quietly with them for a minute. Sally's smile grew as she looked down at him, her hand moving to stroke his head.   
"I was wrong Sal." Sonic said softly, watching Sally's fingers move over the kit's fur.  
"About what?"  
"When I said we weren't enough. I was wrong. We're gonna be enough for him. We have ta be."   
"We will be." She nodded, her finger's linking with Sonic's, her other hand still caressing over Tails' head. "We will be."


End file.
